WASHINGTON – President Bush yesterday asked jittery Americans to “be patient” as they fight a new two-front war – one overseas, one frighteningly close to home.

“We have no choice but to prevail. We’re fighting people that hate our values, they can’t stand what America stands for. And they really don’t like the fact that we exist,” Bush said.

“The American people are going to have to be patient, just like we are. They’re going to have to be determined, just like our military is . . . We will eventually smoke [the enemy] out of their holes and get them and bring them to justice.”

At a time when the anthrax scare is rocking America, Bush admitted “I don’t know” who’s behind it – or whether it’s “the evil one,” terror king Osama bin Laden.

But he said: “Whoever has done it shares that same value of evil that we saw on Sept. 11. And we’ll find them and bring them to justice as well.”

Bush’s bid to buck up the nation’s mood comes as Americans are increasingly anxious about anthrax and waiting for dramatic progress in the three-week-old war.

“I’ve got great confidence in the American military. I’ve also got great confidence in our strategy,” Bush said.

The president ignored the anthrax blame game that has begun in some quarters and warmly praised his new homeland security chief, Tom Ridge – just as he praised the CIA when critics blamed it for Sept. 11.

Bush admitted that America faces “a very long struggle against evil” but “we will prevail.”

He also signed a new anti-terror law that gives the feds widely expanded powers to tap phones, track e-mail and trade information with the CIA to catch terrorists, even on minor charges, before they can act.

And First Lady Laura Bush welcomed the three daughters of two of New York’s slain firefighter heroes to the White House to announce that the United Negro College Fund is giving them full scholarships.

“The three of us know that our fathers would have wanted us to continue our education,” said Vernessa Richard, whose dad was Lt. Vernon Richard of Ladder Co. 7.

Marilyn Smith – whose twin daughters, Tiffany and Yolanda, also got scholarships – said Mrs. Bush urged the girls to stay in touch and said they will and she plans to invite the first lady to their graduation in 3½ years.